Latch Needle:
The needle which have a right hook and a latch easily around the axis is called latch needle.Pierre Jeandeau patented the first latch needle (also known as the tumbler needle) in 1806 but there is no evidence of its practical use.There is also no evidence that the pivoting of a broken pocket knife blade led to the development of the latch spoon.The latch needle was a more expensive and intricate needle to manufacture than the bearded needle. It was more prone to making needle lines as it slides in its trick, particularly if the latch was damaged or there was dirt in the trick. Latch needle action is comparatively easy.
Advantages of Latch Needle:
The latch needle has the major advantage of being self-acting or loop-controlled, so that individual movement and control of the needle enables stitch selection to be achieved. It is ideally suited for use with computer-controlled electronic selection devices. For that reason, it is the most widely used needle in weft knitting and is sometimes termed the ‘automatic’ needle (provided there are loops on the needle).
The old loop is cleared from the hook automatically when the needle is lifted because the loop slides down inside the hook and contacts the latch or tumbler, causing it to pivot open allowing the loop to slide off the latch down onto the stem.
The hook is closed automatically after yarn feeding by lowering the needle because the old loop, which was on the stem, slides upwards contacting and pivoting the latch tightly closed and drawing and enclosing the newly fed loop inside the hook.
Latch needles thus knit automatically as they are reciprocated and draw the length of the new loop as they descend to knock-over. Except in raschel warp knitting machines, they are arranged to move independently in their tricks or grooves.
They can operate at any angle but often require a latch-guard or latch-opening facilities as there is a tendency for latches to spring closed as tightly-knitted loops are cleared from the open latches.
Individually moving latch needles can draw and form their own needle loops in succession across the needle bed, unlike bearded needles and needles in warp knitting machines which move as a unit and thus require sinkers or guides to form the loops around their stems. The Germans classify the first method as ‘Strickerei’ or loop drawing and the second method as ‘Wirkerei’ or loop forming.
Variation of the height of vertical reciprocation of a latch needle at a feeder can produce either missing, tucking or knitting, and depth of descent normally determines loop length. Specially designed latch needles are capable of facilitating rib loop transference by selective lifting to a height above clearing height. Doubleended purl needles can slide through the old loops in order to knit from an opposing bed and thus draw a loop from the opposite direction to the previously knitted loop.
The old loop is cleared from the hook automatically when the needle is lifted because the loop slides down inside the hook and contacts the latch or tumbler, causing it to pivot open allowing the loop to slide off the latch down onto the stem.
The hook is closed automatically after yarn feeding by lowering the needle because the old loop, which was on the stem, slides upwards contacting and pivoting the latch tightly closed and drawing and enclosing the newly fed loop inside the hook.
Latch needles thus knit automatically as they are reciprocated and draw the length of the new loop as they descend to knock-over. Except in raschel warp knitting machines, they are arranged to move independently in their tricks or grooves.
They can operate at any angle but often require a latch-guard or latch-opening facilities as there is a tendency for latches to spring closed as tightly-knitted loops are cleared from the open latches.
Individually moving latch needles can draw and form their own needle loops in succession across the needle bed, unlike bearded needles and needles in warp knitting machines which move as a unit and thus require sinkers or guides to form the loops around their stems. The Germans classify the first method as ‘Strickerei’ or loop drawing and the second method as ‘Wirkerei’ or loop forming.
Variation of the height of vertical reciprocation of a latch needle at a feeder can produce either missing, tucking or knitting, and depth of descent normally determines loop length. Specially designed latch needles are capable of facilitating rib loop transference by selective lifting to a height above clearing height. Doubleended purl needles can slide through the old loops in order to knit from an opposing bed and thus draw a loop from the opposite direction to the previously knitted loop.
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